biostudies-literatureRobertson MUniversity of South FloridaNational Science Foundation792-801https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5680422biostudies-literatureUnknown10(8)Catastrophic events offer unique opportunities to study rapid population response to stress in natural settings. In concert with genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms may allow populations to persist through severe environmental challenges. In 2010, the <i>Deepwater Horizon</i> oil spill devastated large portions of the coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. However, the foundational salt marsh grass, <i>Spartina alterniflora</i>, showed high resilience to this strong environmental disturbance. Following the spill, we simultaneously examined the genetic and epigenetic structure of recovering populations of <i>S. alterniflora</i> to oil exposure. We quantified genetic and DNA methylation variation using amplified fragment length polymorphism and methylation sensitive fragment length polymorEvolutionary applicationsGenetic and epigenetic variation in <i>Spartina alterniflora</i> following the <i>Deepwater Horizon</i> oil spill.PMC5680422DEB‐1419960Richards CShayter AMoss CJSchrey ARobertson MfalseGenetic and epigenetic variation in <i>Spartina alterniflora</i> following the <i>Deepwater Horizon</i> oil spill.Catastrophic events offer unique opportunities to study rapid population response to stress in natural settings. In concert with genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms may allow populations to persist through severe environmental challenges. In 2010, the <i>Deepwater Horizon</i> oil spill devastated large portions of the coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. However, the foundational salt marsh grass, <i>Spartina alterniflora</i>, showed high resilience to this strong environmental disturbance. Following the spill, we simultaneously examined the genetic and epigenetic structure of recovering populations of <i>S. alterniflora</i> to oil exposure. We quantified genetic and DNA methylation variation using amplified fragment length polymorphism and methylation sensitive fragment length polymor2017-01-01T00:00:00Z2017 Sep2025-04-26T01:08:18.957Z2019-03-27T03:01:28ZS-EPMC56804222915187110.1111/eva.12482